Saïd Business School, University of Oxford

Oxford Entrepreneurship: Venture Finance Programme

Develop a comprehensive understanding of venture finance to enable informed decision-making regarding investment and capital funding.

Start date

29 January 2025

Price

$2,914 USD

Installment Plan

Request a call

Course duration

8 weeks

Excluding orientation

Language

English

Access resources from start date

Effort

7–10 hours per week

Self-paced learning online

ABOUT THIS COURSE

Programme overview

Nearly $3 trillion

The worth of the global startup economy.

Startup Genome (Jun, 2020).

15%

The percentage that global venture capital funding grew year-over-year in 2020, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

CB Insights (Feb, 2021).

Duration: 8 weeks (excluding orientation)

Startups often fail due to various factors, such as inadequate funding, ineffective utilisation of funds, and a failure to balance the risks associated with venture financing. But gaining knowledge and understanding of venture finance can be key to securing funds for your own entrepreneurial venture or as an investment opportunity.

To address this need, the Oxford Entrepreneurship: Venture Finance Programme has been designed to explore the dynamics of venture finance. Over the course of this eight-week online entrepreneurship programme, you'll gain insights into various investment avenues, including venture capital funds and crowdfunding. The programme is led by industry experts and faculty from the Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford, who take a 'two-hat' approach to teach you how to approach venture finance from an entrepreneur's and investor's perspective. The Oxford entrepreneurship course also delves into navigating the funding process, from initial fundraising to developing an exit strategy.

Is this programme for you?

If you're an aspiring or current entrepreneur looking to gain a thorough understanding of venture capital financing or an investor seeking to enter the industry, then this finance for entrepreneurs course is perfect for you. The coursework is designed to equip you with the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed in your business ventures.

Entrepreneurs will learn how to effectively present and prepare their venture for fundraising, while investors will learn how to analyse various funding opportunities. It's important to note that a basic understanding of financial concepts or business acumen is recommended to get the most out of this programme. Whether you're planning to start a new business or are already involved in one, this programme will provide invaluable insights into venture capital financing.

This Oxford Entrepreneurship: Venture Finance Programme is certified by the United Kingdom CPD Certification Service, and may be applicable to individuals who are members of, or are associated with, UK-based professional bodies. The programme has an estimated 80 hours of learning.

Note: should you wish to claim CPD activity, the onus is on you. Saïd Business School and GetSmarter accept no responsibility, and cannot be held responsible, for the claiming or validation of hours or points.

Programme overview

Duration: 8 weeks (excluding orientation)

What will set you apart

On completion of this programme, you’ll walk away with:

A comprehensive understanding of how new ventures are financed from an entrepreneur and investor perspective, and the types of investments available.

Practical skills to navigate the funding process, assess project valuations, and determine financial projections for a fundraising pitch deck.

An opportunity to network with and learn alongside a global cohort of like-minded entrepreneurs, investors, and venture capitalists.

Guidance from leading industry experts and Oxford Saïd faculty.

Unlimited access to both the official Oxford Executive Education Alumni group on LinkedIn and 2U’s Career Engagement Network, offering you exclusive resources and events to support your professional journey and drive your career forward.

Programme curriculum

Examine the funding cycle from the perspectives of entrepreneurs and investors, while progressing through the weekly modules of this online programme.

Orientation module

Welcome to your Online Campus

Module 1

The investment cycle

Module 2

Investor types

Module 3

Fundraising

Module 4

Valuation: Art or science?

Module 5

Venture capitalists

Module 6

Negotiating deals

Module 7

Scaling up and scaling down

Module 8

Cashing in on success

Get more information

What past students
think

Aseem Prabhat

Business Development Manager, Visa

The course helped me better understand the overall venture financing process and the journey of fundraising for a startup founder. The flexibility of the assignment timelines helped me manage the coursework along with my work commitments. The online experience was a good mix of video and reading content to keep the course interesting.

Programme Director

The design of this online programme is guided by Saïd Business School, University of Oxford faculty and industry experts who will share their experience and in-depth subject knowledge with you throughout the programme. View the prospectus to see all the industry thought leaders featured on this programme.

Dr Thomas Hellmann

DP World Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford

About the certificate

Acquire knowledge of venture finance online and earn an official certificate of attendance from Oxford Saïd.

Assessment is continuous and based on a series of practical assignments completed online. In order to be issued with a certificate, you’ll need to meet the requirements outlined in the programme handbook. The handbook will be made available to you as soon as you begin the programme.

Your digital certificate will be issued in your legal name and sent to you upon successful completion of the programme, as per the stipulated requirements.

Oxford Entrepreneurship: Venture Finance Programme certificate

YOUR INFORMATION

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Answer a few questions and get more information about the programme.

FAQ

Want to know more?

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We deliver market-led courses that equip working professionals with the expertise required to upskill, reskill or kickstart a completely new career. Through a data-driven approach, we analyze future skills requirements and ensure all courses address this need. We ensure that leading universities and institutions are your expert guides and our people, technology, and resources are your engine – together we power more than just education, we power your potential.

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Find out more about GetSmarter’s approach to digital learning, course design, and online delivery here.

You can pay your course fees before the course starts, or you may opt for a split payment plan on courses that are nine weeks and shorter. For courses 10 weeks and longer, there is a three-part payment plan available. To find out more about payment options please visit our Payment and Financing page, or contact an Enrollment Adviser, to find out which option you qualify for.

GetSmarter's learning model is designed to help you, as a working professional, improve your skills without compromising on work and family responsibilities. The course work is broken up into weekly, manageable bite-sized modules, with incremental deadlines, designed to help you pace yourself over the duration of the course and allow you the legroom to work when it suits you best.

At the beginning of each module you'll be presented with the course content and assignments necessary for completion. You also have access to your Success Adviser who will help you manage your time, and support you with any administrative or technical queries you might have.

By improving your skills and industry knowledge, you'll have an influence on the success of your organization. Why wouldn't you ask your boss to help you fund your studies if it's going to have an impact on the way you do business?

Of our past students, 37 percent have received financial assistance from their employers. You can ask for help, too. Here is a guide to show you how to request financial assistance from your employer.

If you are a Learning & Development (L&D) manager, or involved in training and upskilling for an organization, you can request information regarding our corporate offering on our GetSmarter for business page.

As part of our commitment to your professional development, GetSmarter offers you a two-week period to change your course start date or request your money back if you’re not fully satisfied.

To qualify for a deferral of your course start date, or to cancel your enrollment and receive a refund of your course fee, your request would need to reach our Success Advisers before the release of Module 2. For more information, please read our Terms and Conditions.

The Online Campus will be your virtual classroom for the duration of your course. Through its easy-to-use interface you'll have access to a diverse variety of course content formats including: interactive videos, module notes, practice quizzes, presentations, assignment briefs, and additional web resources.

On the Online Campus, you'll also be able to ask questions and interact with your fellow students and teaching team through the discussion forums. If you are looking for your Online Campus login, please visit your Account page here.

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